CINCINNATI — It’s safe to say that Donte Jackson is a little defensive when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ defense.
Jackson, who recorded one of the unit’s three turnovers in Sunday’s 44-38 win over the Bengals, took issue with a reporter who said that the Steelers’ defense has been great “so far” this season.
“You said so far? It’s Week 13!,” Jackson said. “Thirteen whole weeks!”
Jackson wasn’t actually upset, but his point was made. Thirteen weeks is more than a big enough sample size to take the “so far” label off the Steelers’ defense when it comes to calling them a great unit. Jackson, though, feels like there’s still a whole lot of meat left on the proverbial bone.
“Just every day, man, we work hard on an everyday basis,” Jackson said. “We’re challenging each other, we’re working hard. We meet and we’re asking questions. Every day, we’re coming together to keep climbing up the ranks and keep on getting better. So the sky’s the limit, for real.”
A big reason for the unit’s success so far has been the new acquisitions, including Jackson, a longtime Panther who was traded from Carolina this past offseason. Safety DeShon Elliott, linebacker Patrick Queen rookie inside linebacker Payton Wilson and rookie cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. have each made significant impacts from basically the time that they arrived in Pittsburgh.
“DeShon just said the same thing that from the moment we first got here, we’ve been welcomed with open arms and everybody is just headed in the right direction,” said Jackson, who leads the Steelers with five interceptions. “That’s just a testament on the culture here and what the standard is here. We kind of understood that on our first day.”
While Pittsburgh’s defenses have been historically solid, this year’s group has a been a cut above recent units that have worn the black and gold. Through 13 weeks, the Steelers’ defense is sixth in the NFL in scoring, fourth in touchdown passes allowed, fourth in interceptions tallied, fourth in rushing yards allowed, and fourth (seeing a trend?) in third down efficiency.
The Steelers’ defense was up to the challenge Sunday against Joe Burrow and a Bengals offense that has been one of the league’s best this season. Pittsburgh’s defense had given up a mere 17 points through 51 minutes of play before the Bengals scored two late touchdowns after the Steelers had taken a 17-point lead on Wilson’s scoop-and-score with 11:06 to play.
Pittsburgh knew that Sunday’s game had the makings of a shootout, and while they probably aren’t thrilled with allowing 31 points (Cincinnati’s first score came off a pick-six in the first quarter), the Steelers’ defense more than got the job done, with turnovers being the main factor in their success.
In the first half, the two teams traded touchdowns on five consecutive drives before T.J. Watt’s forced fumble of Burrow set up Chris Boswell’s go-ahead field goal, giving Pittsburgh its first lead. Jackson’s pick of Burrow in the second half (that was set up by Cam Heyward’s deflection) ended a possible Bengals scoring opportunity. Ahead by 10 points early in the fourth quarter, Wilson’s touchdown return off of linebacker Nick Herbgi’s strip sack proved to be the game-winning score.
“Errant throw,” Jackson said when asked what he saw on his interception.”Threw a slant behind (the intended receiver). If you want to be a great defense or a great a great corner, you gotta make people pay for those type of passes.”
Pittsburgh’s influx of new players has been instrumental to its 9-3 start, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Their quick impact is no a surprise for Steelers Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, whose mere presence has given his teammates the opportunities to make plays, opportunities that they are cashing in on.
“We got the guys that we got for a reason, especially the guys in the secondary,” Fitzpatrick said. “DeShon, has been doing a great job in a run game, getting his hands on the ball in the passing game. (Donte), same thing. He’s been playing really well in man-to-man, and when he gets his hands on the ball, it’s usually going the opposite way.
Traded to the Steelers two weeks into the 2019 season, Fitzpatrick’s arrival that season ignited an immediate spark in Pittsburgh’s defense, as the unit quickly soared up the league rankings and allowed the Steelers to finish 8-8 following a 1-4 start.
Fitzpatrick was hesitant to call Pittsburgh’s current defense the best unit since that ’19 squad, but the likes the trajectory of his squad, a squad that probably hasn’t reached its peak potential just yet.
“We had great players in ’19 and after that as well,” he said. “I think this year we got a lot of great players that do their job at a high level. I think that’s what makes a great defense.”